WHY DONATE TO AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY?

Here’s another guest post from the wonderful vegan writer Adelle Goodman! And it is perfect timing, as A Place of Peace is being affected by the relentless drought in NSW, and needs your support and contributions like never before.

Drought makes significant impact on people and animals emotionally. Animals hang around gates waiting for the feed truck and they can ring bark all the trees trying to get the browsing they need for their health. Some can even get depressed when they aren’t having their natural grazing. It’s hard being completely dependent on humans, even f they are being fed twice a day. Rescued animals coming from a situation of being starved previously have their trauma triggered. So it is very important to keep the hay coming.

Drought is when the farmer suicide rate skyrockets. And emotional support as well as financial is very welcome. But who looks after the sanctuary folks who are every bit as challenged, probably more so as animals are truly family and the option of “selling them to market” just isn’t an option at all. You don’t kill your family. You do everything you can to meet the skyrocketing cost of hay and you go without to make sure the animals are fed.

When you make a donation or even better, offer a regular recurring donation, you don’t only help the animals, you provide a much needed emotional boost to sanctuary owners. Especially during the hard times. Even if it is only a regular $5.. it makes a difference and contributes to the greater work of giving back to and caring for animals who have suffered terribly at the hands of humans. Further, when an animal sanctuary thrives, it sends a message to the wider community that animals matter. And they do.

All contributions to A Place of Peace animals can go to: www.deeppeacetrust,com/donate Thank you, thank you, thank you!! It all goes to the cost of very important and expensive hay right now.

Here’s Adelle’s article!

Why Donate to an Animal Sanctuary?

In society, there is no definite safety net for non-human animals. They have no voice to speak out what they want, and there are only a few rights under the law that protects them. Be that as it may, they always touch our hearts in deep and meaningful ways.

However, according toHuffPost, many people around the world are hesitant about donating any portion of their income to animal sanctuaries and shelters, especially during difficult economic times. This also makes it difficult for these facilities to do what they are supposed to do and achieve their ultimate goal—beyond caring for the animals, educate the public, and change the way we think of and treat non-human animals. Many animal sanctuaries today still rely on the generosity of kind-hearted individuals to financially support the everyday needs and medical treatments of their animals.

To make things easier for these facilities, though, you can give sanctuarydonations.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO DONATE TO AN ANIMAL SANCTUARY?

As previously mentioned, some animal sanctuaries are facing financial difficulties, as some people hesitate about giving donations.

Animal sanctuaries and shelters must cover overhead costs, such as facility maintenance, employee salary, if they have them (most don’t) and of course, food and medicine for the animals. Aside from these, there are also bills to pay. However, sanctuaries don’t breed or sell their animals. Their main purpose is to rescue animals from abuse, which often involves caring for badly abused animals that require expensive medical care. So, how do they pay for everything?

That is why it is important todonate to these animal sanctuaries and shelters.

For a start, you can find local animal sanctuaries in your area. Mostly, these facilities do not receive funds and attention from the government, so your donations will really go far in helping the animals that they have.

Your donations can come in various forms. For example, aside from monetary contributions, you can give sanctuary donations in the form of healthy animal foods or other necessities. In this regard, you will have a lot of options on the market today. Ask the sanctuaries what they need and let them provide you with a list.

This is what the awesome Sydney group Animal Rescue Freecycle and Support did, under the dynamic Derek Knox. Then All Cairns recognised the need in regional areas for the many people who turned their homes and land into sanctuaries and refuges for animals in need. And there became Animal Rescue Freecycle and Support – Canberra and Regional Surrounds

Ali and Derek do an amazing job collating and contributing all kinds of goods, feed and supplements to rural sanctuaries in need. This makes a huge, huge difference. And now they are going Australia wide! Incredible angels!

Just as vegan humans love food, like the vegan chocolate from hopper HQ which is made of ingredients that are suitable for a range of dietary needs, so do animals. Our animal friends love to receive delicious but healthy foods as treats and surprises. Carrots, apples, watermelon.. all kinds of fruits and vegetables help supplement a diet of hay.

Aside from these animal-specific products, you can also give products that the facilities need, such as garbage bags, doormats, foot rugs, dishwashing liquids, brooms, mops, blankets and bath towels.

You could also fund-raise for these animal charities, having trivia or movie nights, high teas, theatre shows, concerts, dinners, lunches, picnics, all vegan of course! Money raised by others contributing to the overheads of running a sanctuary or refuge, is a huge help.. and fun for you too. It can be incredibly rewarding knowing you are making a difference.. spreading the word of kindness, and helping out animals in need at the same time.

WHY DO ANIMALS NEED OUR HELP?

We currently live in a society where animals are second class citizens, often thought of as pests to be hunted or brutally culled. Some domesticated animals are abused and beaten even by their carers, while others are enslaved, contained in tiny cages, or kept in chains to become objects of entertainment, subjects for experiments, or sources of meat and other food items.

Animal abuse by human hands is truly heartbreaking, not to mention that it is wrong in the moral sense. It’s even worse when you realize that you may be indirectly supporting this type of abuse in the products you use or things you do every day. However, as disappointed as you may get, you cannot stop it by just pretending it is not happening.

That is why these animals end up at sanctuaries, likeDeep Peace Trust, in the first place. In these facilities, animals are kept away from harm, taken care of, and given a voice with the help of compassionate individuals.

And, if you give a sanctuary donations, you can help these compassionate individuals with creating a kinder, better world for animals. Together, you can make a difference.

WHY ARE SANCTUARIES AN IMPORTANT PLACE TO REGAIN THE CONNECTION WE’VE LOST WITH ANIMALS?

Some medical studies have proven that being around animals provides a pleasant experience. Many people who are always taking care of animals reported to have developed a more positive disposition in life. In fact,the West Australian reports that people who have companion animals have seen improvements in their health and quality of life.

However, this connection seems to be lost with all the cruelty non-human animals experience today. Nonetheless, you can regain it by donating to animal sanctuaries and becoming involved in their on-line communities. You can volunteer to help out on working bee days.